00:01.
00:15Former Human Resources Minister Datuk Seri M Saravanan
00:19was charged at the KL Sessions Court on Friday
00:21with three counts of corruption,
00:23allegedly linked to the approval of foreign worker quotas.
00:26The 58-year-old Tapa MP pleaded not guilty after the charges were read
00:31before Judge Azura Alwi.
00:33According to the charges,
00:35Saravanan allegedly received RM150,000 and RM350,000 in cash
00:41from Vectica Resources Director Tan Tek Lim
00:43via one Syed Amirul Syed Ahmad,
00:47handed over at the Bukit Jalil Gulf and Country Resort
00:50and in Bangsa in June and July 2022.
00:54A third charge alleges he received RM597,000 via cheque
00:59from the same individual,
01:00deposited into a Big 7 Ventures Sendirian Berhad account
01:04at a Maybank branch in Tamandesa.
01:06Prosecutors allege the money was a kickback
01:08for approving a 1,000-worker quota for TYKB Engineering Sendirian Berhad,
01:13while Saravanan was Human Resources Minister.
01:15He was charged under Section 16, Subsection AB of the MACC Act,
01:21which carries up to 20 years jail
01:23and a fine of at least five times the bribe amount,
01:26or 10,000 ringgit, whichever is higher if convicted.
01:30Deputy Public Prosecutor Julaila Jamaluddin told the court
01:33the offence is non-bailable but did not object to bail,
01:36proposing 800,000 ringgit with one surety,
01:39MACC reporting and surrender of his passport.
01:43Defence lawyer Datuk Gethanram Vincent objected to the amount,
01:47calling it excessive and proposed 400,000 ringgit instead,
01:52accepting the other conditions except the passport surrender.
01:55Judge Azura fixed bail at 450,000 ringgit with one surety.
02:00Saravanan must report to the MACC office nearest his home
02:03once every three months and is barred from contacting witnesses.
02:07The case has been fixed for mention on September 29th.
